Weighing the cheese
Once the deal is closed, cheese carriers use a barrow to take the sold cheese to the Waag, where it is weighed in the Waaggebouw. Currently, there are three pairs of scales: the lower, middle, and upper scale. The tasman (purse man) weighs the cheese, and the waagmeester (weighing master), a public servant, supervises the correct weight being passed on to the buyer; the motto of the Alkmaar cheese carrier guild being “Een valse Waghe is de Heere een gruwel” (a false balance is an abhorrence in the eyes of the Lord). The “tasman” is positioned at the scales and can be recognised by the purse around his waist. Cheese used to be paid to him, hence the purse. After weighing, he marks the barrow with cheese by stamping a check mark on it.